Roommates
by ChikaiItachi
Summary: Five years ago, Homura remade the world, creating a place where Madoka and her friends live in peace without having to fight forces of evil. They've lost most of their memories about life before Homura's world. In this story, Sayaka and Kyoko (both 18/19) attempt to live as roommates in the same apartment without killing each other. Warning: Definitely Yuri! Please Review. :)
1. The First Trial: Sleep

Miki Sayaka couldn't remember exactly when she had first met Sakura Kyoko, but it felt as if they had known each other for an eternity. Kyoko, with her rude laugh, bright red hair, impudent style of dressing, and ravenous appetite, had surely always been a part of Sayaka's life. Kyoko felt the same. Surely, Sayaka had always been there with her short blue hair, rambunctious attitude, boyish cheer, and strong sense of justice. All of their memories from before four years ago were hazy, but for some reason, this never caused any particular concern for the girls. Perhaps they thought they were normal, or perhaps they had been stripped of the ability to think hard about their pasts.

At any rate, starting at age fourteen, Kyoko began staying with Sayaka and her parents in their traditional Japanese-style house. After a while, the truth came to light that the red-head was an orphan without so much as a birth certificate. She was adopted by the Miki family the next year at age fifteen. Sayaka and Kyoko were ever so happy to be a family, but at the same time, they didn't quite view each other as family. They admired each other in a way that couldn't be adequately explained by sisterly love. Kyoko in particular loved to snuggle and tickle Sayaka and tease her with kisses on the cheek. Sayaka didn't take the initiative much, but she would always blush and enjoy the physical contact.

Much to the disappointment of both girls, they attended two different high schools at the behest of the Mr. and Mrs. Miki. Sayaka got into a private academy strong on the social sciences, while Kyoko was forced to keep attending public school because of her test scores. The private academy, Shiyustsu Gakkuen, boasted brand-new dormitories and encouraged students to stay on campus. Therefore, from age sixteen to age eighteen, Sayaka lived at the private school and became somewhat distant from Kyoko. She wasn't happy about it, but she wasn't utterly miserable either. After all, she was pursuing her dream to study psychology, and anyway, she came home to visit Kyoko and her parents once every two months.

Sayaka was certainly a better student than Kyoko, but both girls graduated high school without any major problems. As their nineteenth birthdays approached, the two "sisters" decided to attend the same college. They would be part-time students while also working hourly jobs to gain real-world experience. They decided to share an apartment, which was located just a few blocks away from Mitikihara University campus. It was Sayaka's idea, and Kyoko agreed at once.

*****Line Break*****

A few days before the start of her first semester, Sayaka sat at an outdoor table of a coffee and pastry shop. The weather was delightful, with cloudless blue skies, warm yellow sunshine, and a wild breeze now and then that whispered hints about the coming autumn. Sayaka had only slept a few hours the previous night, so she was drinking a latte with double espresso. Nevertheless, she found herself drifting off into a doze. She could hardly help it; the day was so pleasant, the sun so soothing, and the scene so comfortingly quiet since there were few other customers around.

When she came to the cafe and saw her companion half asleep, Kyoko considered kissing Sayaka for a prank. However, that might seriously piss off the blue-haired girl, and that girl could be pretty damn terrifying when angry. So instead, Kyoko embraced her "sister" from behind, loosely wrapping her arms around her neck, and startling her awake. The red-head grinned and said in a mock-masculine voice, "Well, hello there, pretty lady. Come here often?"

"Cut it out, Kyoko," said Sayaka; "that's not even funny." She blushed brightly the way she always did at shows of affection or teasing jokes. "Now go get your coffee. I already ordered mine. And don't whine about it. You were late so it couldn't be helped." Shaking Kyoko off, Sayaka took a sip of her latte and stuck her nose in the air haughtily.

"It's true I ain't even human till I've had that first cup of coffee in the morning," remarked Kyoko, both hands behind her head, arms crooked in a boyish pose. "But you know, I've already had that first cup. I had this." The glass bottle that Kyoko showed seemed to appear out of thin air. Sayaka wondered where the red-head had been hiding it. It was a premade Starubacks coffee drink, the kind sold in coolers near the registers at grocery stores.

"That looks like the kind of thing that's really pricey and totally not worth it," Sayaka observed, as her companion sat down across from her and started drinking.

"Well, the price doesn't matter, don't ya know?" Kyoko laughed in her mischievous way. "I swiped it from the convenience store."

"You have a real problem," Sayaka snapped, aggravated. "Ugn, I can't believe I'm going to be roommates with a kleptomaniac."

"That's what you say, but I know you're happy about it." Kyoko wiped the coffee off her upper lip and gave a roguish, toothy grin.

After the coffee shop, the two girls officially moved into their apartment. The previous day, they finally managed to move all their things into the new abode, but most of it was still packed away in boxes. Although there was only one bedroom, it was spacious enough for two futons. Sayaka and Kyoko passed the day by unpacking their things and rearranging the furniture. They ordered a pizza for the main part of their dinner, and Sayaka whipped up a quick salad, while Kyoko ran to the convenience store for drinks. She proceeded to shoplift a six-pack of strawberry sodas without being caught. After the meal, each of the girls showered. Then Kyoko watched dance shows on TV in the living room. Meantime, Sayaka started reading her psychology textbook at her desk in the bedroom.

Soon enough, darkness fell and it was time for bed. Kyoko laid out her pale green and grey futon, along with a fluffy white pillow. These were the things she slept with at home, and frankly, they looked like they needed a good washing. As for Sayaka, she laid out a heavy, navy-blue futon that looked far bigger than normal-sized Japanese bedding.

"Yo, what's with the gigantic mattress?" Kyoko asked. "Was it made for some fat-ass?"

"It's not nice to say fat-ass." Sayaka always seemed to regard herself as the more righteous one. "And no," she added. "Obviously the futon is large because it's meant for two people. I didn't expect you to bring your own, since, well… you know… we always used to share." When she said that, she blushed and looked down, wringing her hands together anxiously.

"Damn, if that ain't the cutest thing you've said to me all day!" Laughing, Kyoko moved over to where her companion sat on the blue futon. The red-head got so close to her that their faces were only a few inches apart. "But y'know," she remarked, "only little kids share futons, and we're all grown up. Ah, I get it. You must really want to go at it tonight." Kyoko winked and grabbed Sayaka's hands. "You stayed in a co-ed dorm, right? I bet you messed around with boys. And now you want me to mess around with you." She was giggling with mirth. "Sayaka, you're so naughty. When did you get to be so horny?"

"Shut the hell up!" exclaimed Sayaka, tearing her hands away, as her face turned red as a tomato. "You know that's not what I meant, so stop teasing me, asshole! For your information, I didn't mess around with any boys. I was a healthy, pure high school girl who focused on her studies and her after-school club. There wasn't a boy I liked. Not even one, the whole time!"

"Hmm," Kyoko mused, "a high school girl with absolutely no crushes on any boys? Then that proves it. You're like me. You prefer to mess around with fellow girls." She grinned from ear to ear. "We're going to have fun tonight."

"You're so god damn obnoxious!" Sayaka shouted, standing up abruptly, before her companion could get close enough to kiss her. "Why do you always talk so dirty? That settles it. I obviously can't sleep in the same futon with you. I won't, even if you beg me! You could molest me in my sleep, you pervert!"

"Jeez, you're such a killjoy. Fine, I'll sleep by myself." Kyoko went back to her futon and lay down at once. "But hey," she added, staring at the ceiling, with her hands behind her head. "It's true you like girls, isn't it?"

"So what if I do?" Sayaka grumbled.

"What did I tell you?" said Kyoko, bursting into laughter yet again. "You're so naughty and twisted. But it's really frickin' cute."

"Whereas you're not cute in the slightest. Incorrigible: that's what you are." Sayaka brought an old fashioned box-fan out of the closet, set it up next to her bed, and turned it on high. Next, she switched off the lights. Kyoko noticed she was wearing an adorable pair of light-blue pajamas with white star patterning. Ignoring her companion's stare, Sayaka lay down in her oversized futon.

The sound of the fan, surprisingly loud, distracted Kyoko. "That's odd. I don't remember you sleeping with a fan before."

"I got into the habit at Shiyutsu Academy. The walls were thin and other people in the dorm were noisy at night. The fan is amazing because it blocks out other sounds. And I think it's soothing. They call it a steady white noise. Actually," Sayaka confessed, "I've gotten to the point where I can't even sleep without a fan running beside me."

"Kuh, that's annoying." The red-headed girl made an ugly wincing face to show her dislike. "It sounds awful to me. It's so damn loud. Well, whatever. I'll just turn it off once you're asleep."

"No, you can't do that," said Sayaka, sitting up again. "I'll notice the change in sound and wake up. Unlike a certain someone who could sleep through a hurricane, I'm a light sleeper."

"Heh? You're really gonna keep it on…? Then at least turn it down. It's blasting out on the high setting." Since Kyoko sounded genuinely bothered, Sayaka turned down the fan by one notch and then reclined again. "That's ridiculous," snapped Kyoko; "all you did was set it to medium. Put it on low already!"

"I can't sleep if it's on low!" Sayaka objected.

"I can't sleep if it's _not_ on low! Fine then." Kyoko sat upright. "I have a way of relaxing myself and getting to sleep even if there's an irritating noise." She reached up to her desk and brought down her smart-phone. "I'll just listen to music."

"That's a good id—" Sayaka stopped midway because, to her surprise, Kyoko had turned on a loud, happy song with a strong bass and a swift, repetitive rhythm. "What the hell? I was going to say it'd be nice to fall asleep to calming, classical music. But this! This is dance music, for Christ's sake! There's no way I can sleep with that terrible racket! Use earbuds!"

"Fat chance," scoffed Kyoko. "If the fan stays on, my music stays on too. Besides, my ears and head start to hurt if I use earbuds for very long."

"Ugn. Do whatever the hell you want." Sayaka turned over onto her side, facing away from her companion. "I'll turn off the music after you fall asleep. Knowing you, it won't be enough to wake you. Goodnight."

"Sheesh, cranky." Kyoko shook her head. "Goodnight I guess."

Following this heated conversation, Sayaka tried to get some sleep. She tried for two long hours, and still she could not doze off because of Kyoko's endless playlist of upbeat pop songs. Unable to stand it anymore, Sayaka went and turned off her friend's phone. As expected, Kyoko did not stir. She was snoring softly. Then Sayaka returned to bed feeling hopeful and relieved. Now, at last, she would be able to get a little shuteye.

That wasn't the plan that fate had in store, however. What started as a soft, wheezing noise soon grew into an obnoxiously loud, snorting snore. How could Sayaka have forgotten? Kyoko had always been a terrible snorer. This sound was unbearable for the blue-haired girl, who had always had trouble falling asleep, ever since she was a small child. She tried for another hour and still couldn't rest. Kyoko kept snoring ever louder and louder.

"Hey, Kyoko," Sayaka whispered. Having left her bedding, she got down on her knees next to the red-head's futon and shook her gently. However, that wasn't enough to wake the master sleeper. "Kyoko, wake up. Come on, I know you can hear me. Kyoko! Hey, Sakura Kyoko! Wake up!" Finally, Sayaka's voice rose to a shout and she shook Kyoko violently by both shoulders. "Yo, Kyoko! _Jesus Christ, wake the f*** up!"_

"Huh? What?" Kyoko finally opened her eyes and started rubbing them sleepily. "Oh. Hey, Sayaka." She gave a long, drawn-out yawn and then asked, "So? Why the hell did you wake me up? What's the big idea?" The red-head looked angry at first, but at that moment she noticed that her pajama shirt had come partly unbuttoned from Sayaka shaking her. Cleavage was showing. "Oh, I get it," Kyoko said, leering. "You're gonna beg me to come over into your futon, right? Really, what a selfish little thing you are! You could've just crawled into my futon and snuggled up against my body."

"Shut up!" cried Sayaka, nearing her metaphorical boiling point. "Sakura Kyoko, it's two in the morning and I haven't slept a wink. First it was your music. Now it's your crazy loud snoring. You sound like a pig! It's insufferable!"

"Oy, oy." A dangerous glint appeared deep within Kyoko's red eyes. "I can only take so much verbal abuse in one night. I may be kinky, but I'm not a masochist, so don't be so insulting. You must be hearing things," she decided, shrugging. "I've never, ever snored before."

"You. Were. Snoring." Each word Sayaka pronounced emphatically and with obvious resentment. "It. Was. Insufferable! God, you've always snored! Here." Sayaka hurried over to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a pack of snore-strips. "I forgot until now, but I brought these thinking of you. You put one over the bridge of your nose like a band-aide. It helps you breathe easier."

"Ok, throw those over here," ordered Kyoko. Her companion responded by throwing the small cardboard box right at the red-head's face. In annoyance, Kyoko clicked her tongue, but she fished out a snore strip and put it on. "You're being such a child," she sighed, "but I'll be the bigger person this time."

"I'm _not_ a child!" screamed Sayaka, losing her temper completely. "And literally speaking, you're always the bigger person! You gained all that weight from eating _constantly!_ And where does all that muscle come from? Your arms look like a guy's! You're almost as tall as a guy too!"

She was only lashing out about her companion's body because, in all honesty, she felt jealous. Compared to her friend Madoka, Sayaka had always been taller, stronger, and more athletic. Back when they were fourteen, Kyoko and Sayaka had been about the same height, weight, and level of fitness. But now, compared to Kyoko, Sayaka looked unusually feminine with her tight waist, the curves of her hips, her smooth, pale skin, and her generally petite build. She had worked hard in high school trying to become stronger. At the academy, Sayaka ate beef and worked out with the tennis club members three times a week. Still, she could never get her arms to look toned and muscular like those of her adopted sister.

Of course, Kyoko didn't understand that Sayaka's words were said out of envy. She was clearly insulted. "Now you're telling me I look like a man?" she spat, clenching her hands into rock-hard fists. "That's low! F*** you, Sayaka! Besides, you're dead wrong. Look, little miss washboard!" Kyoko tore up the rest of the pajama buttons protecting her modesty and showed her remarkable, voluptuous breasts. "Do men have awesome boobs like these? Eh?! No, they don't! And neither do you! You look like a pampered little Lolita! You're already eighteen so that means you're forever flat!"

"I am not flat!" Sayaka raged. "I've got fine, modest A-cups that are just right for my weight!"

"Hah, your weight!" Kyoko bit back. "You barely have any. You practically look malnourished. Poor, frail little Sayaka!"

"I'm _not_ frail!" This was the greatest insult to Sayaka so far. "Take that back!"

"Never, jerk! Child! Weakling!"

"At least I have a brain! You're freaking dumb! Did you really pass all your classes in high school yourself? I bet you cheated all the way through. Cheater! Thief! Dummy!"

Kyoko gritted her teeth and spat, "Miki Sayaka…!" while Sayaka hissed like an angry cat, "Sakura Kyoko…!" Then, at the same time, both girls shouted at each other, "I hate your guts!" And again at the same time, they jumped at each other. Sayaka tackled Kyoko, making her fall to the floor, while the red-head started slapping her companion's face as hard as she could and tried to escape the grapple-hold. For a few seconds the two girls kept fighting, hitting each other, rolling around on the floor, pulling each other's hair, and screaming insults as if they were still middle school kids.

Quite suddenly, Kyoko realized she was sitting on top of Sayaka's crotch and leaning over her, holding back both her hands to avoid the flailing fists. She was pinning her down. Again their faces were so close they were almost touching, and both girls were sweaty and breathless. Kyoko remembered she had torn open her own button-up shirt, and her chest was exposed. Forgetting her anger and releasing Sayaka's arms, Kyoko threw her head back and laughed.

"Now I really, seriously look like a pervert," she said, blushing.

Sayaka punched her in the face, but not too hard. "Then get off me already, pervert," she growled.

Kyoko reluctantly obeyed and moved off to the side, letting the blue-haired girl sit up and catch her breath. The brief silence was awkward for both of them. They had clearly felt attracted to each other a moment ago. Obviously they didn't actually hate each other. Still, both had thrown some terrible, hurtful words at each other. Just before Kyoko could start to apologize, Sayaka quickly kissed her lips and then darted back to her futon.

"You can think of that as my apology," she muttered, grimacing. "No more fighting. No more insults. I'm sorry for saying you were like a guy. Actually you're really pretty in a 'wild' kind of way, and your chest is… it's very nice. Ahem. I'll turn the fan down to low, and you can use that snore-strip. Goodnight." As she finished speaking, Sayaka buried herself under the covers and turned onto her side, again facing away from Kyoko.

"Your compromise sounds fair to me." This time, Kyoko's voice was soft and gentle. "But I do want to ask for one more thing." She crawled over and got under the cover of Sayaka's futon. There was enough room for two people to sleep without even touching each other, and Kyoko thought it would be best not to touch Sayaka again that night. The kiss was already more than enough. So she lay down with her back to the blue-haired girl. "Is this alright?" she whispered into the darkness.

"Yes." For Sayaka, it was soothing to share a bed with her companion. She thought about holding hands with Kyoko, but she was too embarrassed, and too tired besides. "Everything's alright now. I'm… I'm really glad to be with you again, Kyoko."

"I'm happy too." Kyoko adjusted the snore-strip over her nose and closed her eyes, smiling. "Starting tonight, the two of us are roommates."


	2. The Second Trial: Chores

**2: The Second Trial: Chores**

Kyoko Sakura finished an entry in the cheap composition notebook she used for her diary. She put the cap on her magenta gel pen, closed the book, and said, "Alrighty! Time to get ready to party!" It was already around eight in the evening, and Kyoko was going to a celebration event that night at nine. She loved to dance, and planned to stay on her feet and move around most of the night. She also had a feeling she might be drinking a little, if her senpais would let her. For both of those reasons, it was important to get some food in her stomach first.

Therefore, the red-head ate a frozen dinner heated up in the microwave and washed it down with a can of ginger ale. She accidentally dropped the empty can on the floor, and it rolled under the couch in the living room. Whatever, Kyoko thought; she would just pick that up later. She left her dish un-rinsed and placed precariously on top of the miniature mountain of dishes in the sink. When she showered and shaved, Kyoko paid no attention to the fact that some of her hair stuck to the sides of the tub. The mold that had started growing on the shower curtain also went completely unnoticed.

Just as Kyoko finished getting dressed and prepared to walk out the door, Miki Sayaka came inside, finally back from a long day of lectures and labs. "Yo, Sayaka!" Kyoko said enthusiastically, hugging and tickling her adopted sister. "I'm going to a party! Wanna come?"

Sayaka hugged her back briefly and then broke away. She usually felt comforted by embraces from Kyoko, but she was tired and a little cranky after attending classes all day and not eating dinner. "No thanks," she said, heading down the hall toward the bedroom. "I've got a test in chemistry on Monday and I want to get a good, early start on studying. Have fun, though."

"Will do," Kyoko responded happily. "Don't push yourself too hard now, or you'll get sick! Well, I'm off! I'll probably be gone most of the night, so don't wait up for me. G'night, Saya-chan!"

Her roommate muttered something about not wanting be called "Saya-chan," but Kyoko didn't hear it. She was already out the door, peppy and excited for the evening event. That Friday night, she had a lot of fun dancing and drinking.

Meanwhile, Sayaka studied hard. When she ate dinner, she saw what a mess the kitchen sink had become, and thoroughly washed, dried, and put away all the dishes. She had done the same thing last week and it irritated her a little, but she tried not to let it bother her. When Sayaka got ready to shower, she saw how chaotic and dirty the bathroom was, and so she spent nearly an hour cleaning it. Finding the sticky ginger ale can under the sofa was the last straw. Lividly, Sayaka threw the can away and took the trash out for the second time that week. Right now, she felt too tired to stay up any longer, but she resolved to talk to Kyoko about things the next morning.

*****Line Break*****

At about two in the morning, Kyoko returned home and fell asleep without even changing. She didn't want to wake Sayaka, so she used her own futon this time. When morning came, the red-head woke up sick. At first she thought it was just a hangover, but the headache and nausea came with sneezing, coughing, and a low fever. The new semester had only started two or three weeks ago, and many new students were falling ill as they were exposed to a college full of new germs and the natural cooling of the weather. Trying her best to be understanding, Sayaka helped take care of her roommate for a few days, and didn't mention the chores. Still, she couldn't help but be a little angry. The floors needed sweeping and vacuuming, and Sayaka had planned to ask Kyoko to do it. Now that the latter was sick, the former completed the tasks, having grown tired of looking at the dirty floors.

After two days, Kyoko's fever passed, and by the fourth day, she was well enough to resume her college life. Going to parties and getting sick had caused her to fall behind on her schoolwork, so Kyoko started spending most of the time in the living room, at the table or on the sofa, putting forth her best effort to study. The red-head was serious about becoming a good student. She had done very little work in high school, and consistently received very low grades as a result; now, tired of that, Kyoko put her all into making Cs and Bs. When Sayaka realized that her roommate needed to catch up on her studies, and was trying so hard at it, she again backed out of mentioning anything about housework.

The following week, however, Sayaka's patience wavered and was finally defeated by the thoughtlessness of her companion. Kyoko only washed the dishes once, and did a half-assed job, leaving bits of food on some of the bowls and plates. She didn't clean the bathroom sink, but left it soaking wet and dotted with toothpaste stains and tiny bits of shaven hair. She forgot to take the trash out and it got to smelling so bad that Sayaka did it herself twice that week. Kyoko never moved her pile of textbooks and notebooks off the table or off the couch, forcing Sayaka to move all the items to the bedroom every time she wanted to eat at the table or watch TV on the sofa.

The tipping point didn't happen until that Sunday night, when Sayaka returned home after a group study session with some classmates. Again, the sink was full of dishes and mold had started growing on the bathroom shower walls. The living/dining room was a disaster. Everywhere there were candy wrappers, chip and cracker crumbs, water bottles, and soda cans. Most of the cans were empty, but at least one was still half-full when Sayaka knocked it over, spilling sticky cola out and staining the carpet. Except for the one in the kitchen, all the lights were off, suggesting Kyoko had gone to bed early to get a good rest before classes the next day. But Sayaka was past the point of caring. She stormed into the bedroom and turned on the lights.

"Hey, what the hell?" exclaimed Kyoko, sitting up and using one hand to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness. "Are you retarded? Can't you tell I'm trying to sleep?!"

"Sleep can wait," snapped Sayaka, folding her arms menacingly. "I have something important to discuss. I'm sick to death of holding it in."

"That's too bad, honey," replied Kyoko flippantly, pulling the covers of their shared futon over her head. Her muffled voice went on, "You'll have to hold it in for one more night. I have a calculus test first thing tomorrow. I need a good rest. So shut up and turn off the damn light."

"I refuse! You're going to listen to me!" Sayaka clenched her hands into fists and barely resisted the urge to stomp one foot on the floor to get her roommate's attention.

"Fine, I'll do it myself." Kyoko stood up, walked over to her companion, pushed her out of the way, and flipped the light switch off. Then he returned, huffing and puffing, to the futon.

In response, Sayaka simply turned the light on again. "Kyoko, we need to talk about chores."

"Ergh!" Kyoko shouted, throwing the covers away in a rage. "You're such a freakin' brat! Ok, you win. Let's get this over with. What about chores?"

"Well, for starters, you're not doing any! I do _all_ of them _all_ the time!"

"I washed the dishes this week!" the red-head objected. "And anyway, it's not my fault you took out the trash both times before I could get to it. You notice these kinds of things faster and do them right away. I'm not like that. I don't really notice when things are out of order, until a few days later usually. If you want me to do more chores, then stop claiming everything before I can even think of it. Like when you vacuumed when I was sick. You could have just waited for me to get better and I would have done it then."

"By then the floors would have been completely filthy!" exclaimed Sayaka, outraged. "You should have noticed and cleaned them before going off to a party and getting sick. And the dishes need to be done more than once a week, you know! How stupid can you be? They need to be washed every other day."

"Do _not_ call me stupid," Kyoko warned in a dangerous tone. "I'm running out of patience."

" _You're_ running out of patience?!" her roommate repeated incredulously. " _I've_ been trying to be patient with you for two weeks! I'm sick of it! How could you leave the living room in that state? It looks like a tornado came through! Exactly how much candy and soda can one girl stuff down her throat in a single night, eh?! And your side of the bedroom is a mess too! It looks like a pig-sty!"

"I was planning to clean up the living room in the morning, obviously. Duh! Now look." This time, Kyoko was trying her best to resolve things. "I'm sorry I'm not as observant as you, ya little housemaid. I'll try harder to pay attention and do the chores as soon as I notice they need to be done. There. Are you happy now?"

"Absolutely not! That's not good enough!" Sayaka was still quivering with wrath. Everything she had been holding in came out in hoarse shouts. "Apologize for not scrubbing all the food off the dishes! Apologize for making me walk all the way to the dumpster at night after a study session! Apologize for tracking dirt into the living room on your ugly boots! For leaving a half-full soda can on the floor! And for leaving your disgusting hair in the shower and sink!"

Kyoko sighed. "You're being unreasonable. I don't have the time or energy to apologize for each and every tiny, insignificant thing that pissed you off. Sorry, but grow the f*** up. I told you I'd try harder. I don't know what else to say."

"You're infuriating!" cried Sayaka. "Get out of my futon! I'm sleeping alone tonight. And I don't want to talk to you again until you realize how horrible you've been and until you can sincerely promise to change!"

"Jesus!" Kyoko swore, moving out of the blue futon and setting up her own bedding. She shook her head. "You're like a little kid who think she's my mom or something. I told you—"

"I said I don't want to hear anything from you!" her roommate interrupted irately. "Don't talk to me! Asshole!"

The blue-haired girl smacked the light switch off, threw herself down on her futon, and turned on her side facing away from Kyoko, as if she couldn't even stand to look that way. Kyoko ignored her and dozed off fairly quickly. As for Sayaka, she was so angry it took her quite a while for her to fall asleep. Part of her knew she was, indeed, being unreasonable, but at the time, she couldn't think of the right solution to this problem. It wasn't enough for Kyoko to just say she would try harder. That wasn't fair. But it also wasn't fair to insult her, give her the cold shoulder, or stay cross without resolving the actual issues. For tonight, though, Sayaka would have to put off thinking of a resolution. She was too tired and too furious.

*****Line Break*****

Having forgotten to set her alarm, Sayaka slept in late the next morning and missed her first class. Kyoko was already gone, and of course she hadn't bothered to wake her roommate. Sayaka's fury resurfaced and raged in her mind more strongly than ever. She might have stayed angry at her companion for days on end if she hadn't happened to stumble upon something that made her remember how much she loved the devilish red-head.

On the table in the living room, several textbooks and notebooks had been left lying open. One of them was the marble-cover composition book that Kyoko used as a diary. It didn't look at all like a journal, so anyone would have thought at first it was a book for taking notes from lectures or solving math or science problems. As Sayaka started moving the books to Kyoko's side of the bedroom, she accidentally dropped the diary and it fell open facing upward on the floor. Once she got down to pick it up, it was impossible not to see some of what was written. The handwriting was actually decently neat and had been done with a pretty magenta gel pen.

 _"October 5th. Morning. It's only a week until Sayaka's birthday. Between work and class, I've been looking at different stores and searching for the perfect present. What I really want is to ask her out on a date. But, well… last night, I had a fight with Sayaka. I know roommates and sisters argue often, but it still upsets me. It's like I'm always disappointing her. I want to make Sayaka happy. And IDK, I just want us to enjoy being together. Being apart for so long during high school was really rough for me. Damn that girl—I love her to death. Nobody else can make me this upset._

 _"What am I supposed to do to make her happy? I said I'd try harder to pull my own weight, but I'm hopelessly inattentive to things around me, and I'm a terrible procrastinator. What if I still don't realize when the chores need to be done? Or what if I see one and then forget? I can't agonize over it anymore; it's time for school. Sayaka was up late and she talked in her sleep several times. I think I should let her sleep in for today. I really hope I can find a way to prove myself to her. When I'm done with class and work, I'll clean the whole apartment!"_

Such was the entry Kyoko had written earlier that same morning. Sayaka realized it was her diary and closed the notebook at once, carefully placing it on top of the textbooks.

Immediately, a wave of guilt hit the blue-haired girl, not for accidentally reading the diary, but for her irrational temper the previous night. Poor Kyoko had been agonizing over how to make her happy, and her roommate had acted like a spoiled child in return. Keeping things in perspective had always been difficult for the highly emotional Sayaka. Looking at the big picture, she felt she ought to be truly happy. Little fights over things like cleaning were insignificant. What really mattered was that she was finally living with the person she loved most in the world. Because Sayaka read that diary entry, she was reminded of the love she and Kyoko had for each other.

That evening, after classes and work let out, Sayaka and Kyoko got home at the same time. They greeted each other as usual, but to Sayaka it felt awkward. Looking closely, she could tell Kyoko was exhausted from her day, and beyond that, she seemed disheartened. Knowing it was her fault, and that things would be better if she got it over with quickly, Sayaka spoke up.

"Kyoko, I'm really sorry about how I was last night. Chores are no big deal. I don't mind doing them all myself," she added with a smile, "as long as we can keep living together happily."

Although Kyoko was the kind of person who tried not to let her every emotion show on her face, her roguish half-smile and the way her posture relaxed made it clear she was glad to hear an apology. But she said, "Heh, you shouldn't get in in the habit of letting me off the hook so easily. I know it ain't fair to make you do all the chores, Saya-chan. So, today during class, I thought of an idea."

Taking out a notebook and mechanical pencil and lying them out on the table, Kyoko drew seven columns, one for each day of the week. "Will you help me fill this out?" she asked politely. "We need to write what chores need to be done on what days. Then we can switch every week between your turn and my turn. I'll go first if you want."

"Sounds like a great plan," Sayaka replied cheerfully. "Good thinking!"

The blue-haired girl spent the next few minutes filling out the paper with the list of chores. Her roommate watched her, and two or three times, she got ready to say something, but chickened out. She was fidgeting and scratching at her long, wild hair. On the fourth try, Kyoko was finally able to make herself heard.

"Um, say, Sayaka… I know your birthday is in a week. I can't figure out what to get you. And don't tell me not to get you anything," she added quickly, "because I'm definitely buying you a present no matter what! It's gotta be something you really want. So… if you don't mind…." Again she hesitated… "W-why don't we go shopping together next weekend? It'll be a… a date."

"That sounds perfect, Kyoko." Sayaka's smile was sincere and dazzlingly beautiful. She slowly crept up to Kyoko, who was sitting on her knees at the low table. Embracing her companion, Sayaka brought her lips close up Kyoko's ear and kissed it lightly before whispering into it, "I just want to you to know that you make me happy. And I want to make you happy too."

Kyoko felt her face reddening. The whispered words tickled her ear and make her giggle. She softly touched Sayaka's face, as desire started coming alive within her. "Hmm, well," she considered aloud, "Saya-chan, I think you probably know something you can do right now that'll make my day."

"Of course," said Sayaka, and then her mouth met with Kyoko's. They shared a long, deep kiss. It had been a quite a while since they'd really kissed. Feeling and tasting each other was nostalgic, and it also brought new feelings: excitement, and a yearning to be fully intimate with each other. Just as the kiss started heating up and Kyoko started to hold her tighter, Sayaka suddenly broke away.

"Oh, shit," she muttered.

"What?" Kyoko asked in alarm. "Was it that bad?"

"No!" Sayaka exclaimed, shaking her head emphatically. "That was wonderful. You've gotten better at kissing. But… dammit. Now I'm probably going to get sick." Kyoko had been sick all last week, after all, and probably still carried the germs.

"Don't worry, Saya-chan," the red-head said, chuckling. "I'll take care of you if that happens. That'd be fun in its own way. Now, come on. Let's go get some dinner."

Food was never far from Kyoko's mind. As soon as she thought about eating dinner, she was set on making something tasty right away. Sayaka smiled to herself and thought, "I really am fortunate if food is my only rival in love." She spent the rest of the evening enjoying Kyoko's company.


	3. The Third Trial: Friends

**3: The Third Trial: Friends**

"But man, it's really awesome that we're together again!"

Miki Sayaka's loud exclamations and the expression on her smooth, pale-skinned face showed that she was feeling happy as a lark. She and her friends were loitering on the platform and stairs outside the apartment, enjoying what would be one of the last warm nights for a while. They had also gone outside because one of their company wanted to smoke a cigarette (she was in the habit already), and the rest followed her. All in all, there were five girls present: Sayaka, Madoka, Homura, and two of Sayaka's friends from classes, Reiko and Yoshino. Homura was the one smoking. Most of the friends were drinking beer or sake while chatting and laughing.

(Sayaka and Madoka were the only ones who didn't drink alcohol. Even though they only had one year before they were legally allowed to consume it, and even though the majority of nineteen year-olds at the university drank, these two girls stuck to their principles to respect the law.)

For a long while now, Sayaka had been trying to find a time to get together with her old friends from middle school. She had kept in touch and seen them every now and then during her high school days, but by the time she started college, it had been over a year since she had seen Mami, Charlotte, Madoka, or Homura. So Sayaka was thrilled when Madoka called her saying she and Homura could come to her birthday celebration that night in mid-October.

Homura became a beautiful young woman, and still wore her sleek and thick black hair out long. As always, there was something mysterious about her, and every now and then when she spoke to Madoka, a spark of something devilish deep in Homura's eyes showed through. Sayaka didn't like the look of it. To be honest, she preferred not to hang out with Homura, though she couldn't say why; as far as she could remember, the black-haired girl had always been polite and civil, if a little aloof. Why did looking at her cause Sayaka to feel frightened or angry? She couldn't remember.

Madoka grew up a lot too, but somehow her core self never changed. She was still short and had the most petite build, with a sweet, faltering voice and large pinkish-brown eyes that sparkled with innocence and quiet wonder. Her hair was much longer now, and she wore it in a half-pony-tail style. Madoka sometimes zoned out and seemed far away in her thoughts; whenever that happened, Sayaka thought there was something dazzling and awe-inspiring in her aura, and, for just a second, her eyes would take on a golden color. Sayaka wondered why.

Like Kyoko and Sayaka, Madoka and Homura had started attending Mitikihara University, but the latter two were enrolled in a different department from the former, and the school was large, so they rarely crossed paths. Madoka stayed close by Sayaka most of the evening, overjoyed at seeing her old friend again. The two of them talked endlessly. Yoshino and Reiko, from Sayaka's psychology class, joined in the conversation often. As for Homura, though, she acted reserved, and though she tried to smile politely, it was forced.

"It really is wonderful to see old friends," said Madoka in her soft, happy voice. "I'm glad to make new friends like Yoshino and Reiko too, of course."

"How long have you four known each other?" asked Reiko, a tall, thin girl with orange-gold hair.

"Hmm, I guess five or six years," Sayaka answered, thinking aloud. "I might have known Madoka for even longer than that. It's hard to remember things clearly. I've had problems remembering childhood for a while now. It's funny," she said with a chirpy laugh, "but it's almost like the world only started five years ago!"

"What an interesting sentiment," remarked Homura in her cool, detached voice. As was her habit, she tossed her long, black hair back behind her with one hand. "It's a silly thought, though. Don't worry yourself over it. Everyone has trouble remembering their childhood in detail."

"I remember something, though," Madoka pitched into the conversation. "I think there was a time we all believed in magic." She clasped her hands together joyfully at the thought. "We must have played together pretending to be magical girls a lot, because I still dream of it sometimes."

"Oh yeah." Sayaka scratched at her hair awkwardly, a little uncomfortable as she admitted, "I have dreams like that too sometimes. But for me, they always end badly. They can be really scary."

"Let's drop this topic here," suggested Homura, putting out the last bit of her cigarette. "We all came here to have a good time. So why talk about things that are upsetting, like missing memories or nightmares? Besides, it's embarrassing to think we once believed in magic. I'd rather not humiliate myself anymore in front of our new friends Miss Yoshino and Miss Reiko."

"Fine, have it your way," Sayaka said with a shrug. She then got distracted talking to Madoka about how her family was doing. Her little brother was already in fourth grade, it seemed.

By the time Sakura Kyoko finished her shift at work and arrived home, the five other girls had moved inside and were listening to music on a laptop and set of speakers. They were snacking on chips, and continuing to drink. Normally, the wild-hearted Kyoko loved parties. Being strongly extraverted, she enjoyed pretty much any chance to be around people. Tonight, however, she refused to let herself join the happy company. She said hello to everyone, seeming especially happy to see Homura, but then she insisted on eating dinner and hitting the books right away. The semester's first round of tests was just around the corner. Even if Kyoko hadn't been behind in two of her classes, she had already promised herself to dedicate this night to serious study.

Truthfully, the red-head felt a bit peeved to unexpectedly see so many people in her apartment; earlier, Sayaka had only mentioned Madoka might be coming by. It would have been nice to enjoy a quiet dinner, but instead Kyoko had to prepare her food in the crowded kitchen and eat accompanied by noise of the music and the chatter. Trying to study at her desk in the bedroom wasn't much better. Even with the door shut and Sayaka's fan turned on, she could hear the deep bass of the songs that were playing, and it tempted her to go out and dance. The unfortunate red-head was unable to accomplish much homework or studying that night due to distraction.

Since it was rare for the Sayaka to invite friends over or to enjoy a party, Kyoko decided not to complain to her companion this time. She was able to catch up on her studies that week by asking for an extra day off work. It was late at night on Thursday when Kyoko finished her schoolwork, and Sayaka was already asleep. Feeling a little lonely, and wishing to reward herself for her efforts, Kyoko decided to call Tomoe Mami and invite her over. The two of them had been trying to find the time to get together recently. It was hard because Mami was a sophomore at the university who took eighteen credits per semester and also helped out in the honor society.

This time, however, Mami was happy to come over. She lived close by and had her own car. When she arrived at the apartment, the gold-haired miss brought tea and cake with her. She ate together with Kyoko while they watched an episode of a funny TV show. When that was over, the two girls talked for a little while. Kyoko remembered the same thing as Sayaka, that the group of girls had once pretended to be magical girls together. She asked Mami about it. When it came to that topic, Mami's easygoing smile vanished. She looked a bit pale.

"I suppose I recall something like that, perhaps," she said in a low voice, with a furrow of worry between her eyebrows and above her nose. "But what I remember most clearly is not us playing games about magic. Over and over again, I have the same dream of being thirteen and being in a terrible car accident. My whole family died. In that recurring nightmare, the only thing that can save my own life is magic. But that the catch of that miracle was having to live a life full of battles. A long series of dreams about those battles has haunted me for five years."

"I'm sorry," Kyoko apologized. "I didn't mean to make you talk about something painful. I have some pretty terrible nightmares about my family dying too. For all I know, they could be real. I have no family that I know of. I don't remember what happened, but I know they're all dead."

It was difficult to become cheerful again after such a heavy conversation. Both the girls were tired and it was nearly two in the morning. They decided that Mami would stay over for the night. Kyoko's mint green futon desperately needed washing, and she was too embarrassed to let her sophomore friend sleep in it. Instead, Kyoko took the green futon while Mami crawled into the big blue futon with Sayaka, managing not to wake her.

The next day, a half-asleep Sayaka rolled over and rested her body against who she thought was Kyoko. She put her arms around her and muttered, "Kyoko, we'd better get up soon."

Mami didn't respond. She wasn't fully awake yet either.

"Kyoko," said the blue-haired girl in a whiny voice, "I don't want to get up. Let's cuddle for a little longer first." As she said this with her eyes still closed, Sayaka snuggled up tightly against Mami's back and intertwined her legs with Mami's. One arm went under Mami's head to support it, and Sayaka's other arm wrapped around Mami's body. Sayaka's hand rubbed at one of Mami's boobs.

"Oh my," said Mami, sitting up straight and disentangling herself from Sayaka. Six years ago, she might have been startled, alarmed, or even outraged, but by now she was well used to the fact that Sayaka and Kyoko were more like a couple than like sisters. "Miki-san," she said, trying not to laugh, "this is a little too much for me first thing in the morning."

When Sayaka opened her eyes and saw Mami, she was so surprised she screamed. "Wha-wha-what are you doing here?!" she demanded, jumping out of the covers and scurrying over to the corner like a mouse. Her face had gone crimson with embarrassment.

"That's not a nice way to greet your senpai," Mami replied, with her usual calm and elegant smile.

"Er—sorry," stammered Sayaka. She realized how amazing it was to talk to Mami after a long year of not seeing her. The realization made her put on a half-smile. "Welcome, Mami-san."

Kyoko woke up at that moment and looked over at the other two girls. She gathered what had happened based on the way Mami's shirt had been unbuttoned and the way Sayaka was still blushing. The red-haired girl let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. "Sayaka, you're too funny!"

"Now then," said Mami, after re-buttoning her shirt and running a brush through her long, wavy, golden hair. "Shall I make us all some tea? I also brought some pan-cakes for our breakfast, assuming Sakura-san didn't eat them all in the middle of the night."

The three girls had a good time together over breakfast, talking a lot to catch each other up on their lives. Mami was more gorgeous than ever with her yellow hair, large bust, feminine curves, and elegant height. She was dressed beautifully in a sleeveless, low-cut, yellow one-piece with embroidered white flower designs, and a thin, white button-up shirt to wear over the dress in case it was cold. With all the work she had to do for classes and helping out with the honor society, Mami didn't have time to stay long. After breakfast, she thanked her friends and left.

"What the hell, Kyoko?!" exclaimed Sayaka when Mami was out the door and gone.

"What do you mean, 'what the hell'?" Kyoko asked, lounging on Sayaka's blue futon with her hands behind her head. "What's got you in such a tizzy?"

"You invited Mami without even telling me," snapped Sayaka, "and you let her sleep in my bed! I thought it was you next to me until she spoke up. I was embarrassed beyond belief! And it's your fault!" Sayaka was standing tall above her roommate, her arms folded, and one foot tapping on the floor showing her impatience.

"Oy, calm down," Kyoko warned her with a casual wave of her hand. "You're getting hysterical again. Look, I'm sorry for not telling you, but you were asleep and I didn't want to bug you. Now if we're talking about apologies, you owe me one too." Kyoko sat upright and frowned at her companion. "When you had all your friends over this past weekend, you didn't give me any notice either. I tried really hard to study that night but I couldn't think with all the freaking noise. I had to ask for a day off work to get caught up on homework."

To her credit, Sayaka looked rueful. She muttered begrudgingly, "Well… fine then. I'm sorry. I should have told you more people were coming over and it was going to be noisy. Originally, I thought only Madoka was coming. I didn't know all the rest would show up until just before they arrived. You were at work, so I didn't want to call and disturb you just to tell you that."

"Whatever, it's fine," Kyoko shrugged, satisfied with the apology. "I don't want us getting into another fight so let's drop the topic here. Hey, want to go out and see a movie this weekend? It's already Thursday. We could go the day after tomorrow, when our Saturday shifts are done."

"I _would_ like to go out with you, but I already made plans for Saturday evening. Madoka's coming over. She's probably going to spend the night this time. So what about the next evening?"

"Sunday's no good, kiddo. I already told Akemi she could come over and stay over that night."

"What?!" All of a sudden, Sayaka's bad mood returned. "You invited her to stay the night without asking me? You know she gets on my nerves! You'd better hurry and wash your filthy futon. I refuse to let Akemi-san sleep with me in mine."

"This again?" Kyoko gave an aggravated sigh. "What do you have against Homura? You know she's going out with Madoka-chan, don't you? Shouldn't you support your best friend's love?"

"I think it's terrible they're going out." Sayaka was glaring at the floor with her fists clenched. "One of the reasons I'm having Madoka over is to try to talk some sense into her. Akemi-san is only ever interested in her own world, and pleasing herself. She won't be able to respect Madoka's boundaries or let her make her own decisions. And the ice between me and Akemi is mutual. She smirks at me whenever Madoka gives her affection. It's like she's bragging. She might become controlling. She might make it so Madoka can't see me anymore."

Kyoko dismissed this thought at once. "That's bullshit," she said. "You're paranoid. I think I see the real issue. From your perspective, Homura is stealing away your precious Madoka-chan. You're way too attached to her, and overprotective. Listen. Madoka doesn't belong to you, and she can date whoever she wants!" By this time, the red-head looked more than a little peeved. "Seeing you this worked up over it makes me jealous as f***. Why don't you worry about me the same way you worry about Madoka?"

"That's not fair, Kyoko. You know I love you. Maybe I'm not very protective of you, but that's because you're so bad-ass. You're much better at taking care of yourself than I could ever be. Of course, I love Madoka too, but in a different way. She's my best friend. And you're my… well…" Sayaka trailed off, fidgeting with her hands.

"I'm your what? You should be able to say it without getting embarrassed and freezing up."

"You're… my… lover. Actually, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." The previous subject about Homura and about friends in general was forgotten in an instant. Sayaka focused her emotional intensity on something else—something she had been seriously considering. "Um… we've been sort of 'together' off and on for a long while, but I don't know what to call us. With you being my adopted sister and everything… is it really ok to call you my…. I mean, can I say you are my…?"

"Just say the damn word already," Kyoko urged her. "It's not a curse."

"Girlfriend," cheeped Sayaka, blushing. "There! Can I say that you're my girlfriend?"

"There you go! Feels good to say it, right?" Kyoko grinned, stood up, and approached Sayaka. They held hands. "Of course you can call me your girlfriend, Saya-chan. And I don't care who you choose to tell about us. And as for me, I'm calling you my… hmm… I'll say you're my bitch."

"Sakura Kyoko!" cried Sayaka, tearing her hands away. "That's insulting!"

"But it's true," the red–head said between howls of laughter. "You follow me around like a little puppy, and you're all over me all the time like a hyperactive dog. I can convince you to do whatever I want in the end. Don't get the wrong idea. I ain't complaining. I love my little bitch." She gave Sayaka a kiss on the forehead.

"Fine." Sayaka actually didn't mind one bit. She was just pleased to receive direct and positive attention from her girlfriend. "Just don't call me that in public."

"You got it. Now listen up, Saya-chan. From now on," Kyoko promised earnestly, "I won't invite friends over without telling you first. Will you do the same for me?"

"Of course," smiled Sayaka. "Speaking of friends, I'll do my best not to be cold or sassy toward Akemi-san. However, I don't want to share a bed with her."

"Mah, I guess that's fair enough. I'll wash my futon and pillow today."

"One other thing," added Sayaka, "so this doesn't keep happening. Let's agree to schedule a date with just the two of us every other Saturday. We'll mark those Saturdays on our calendars and not schedule anything with anybody else."

Kyoko agreed, "Alright then. Whoa, get a load of the clock! It's almost time for both our classes. Damn, and I wanted to make out or something."

"Well… there's the next best thing." Sayaka was still blushing, and shifting awkwardly from leg to leg as she put her suggestion forward. "There's not enough time for both of us to shower and get dressed separately. Let's do it together today."

"Aw, listen to you. You can be so damn cute." Kyoko gave Sayaka two quick kisses, one on each cheek. "You always know just how to make me happy. I'll grab the towels and meet you in the bathroom."

The girls had originally planned to shower and nothing more. Once they stood facing each other, though, with their stunning bodies bare, and steam rising up all around them, they couldn't resist. Sayaka embraced Kyoko and their chests rubbed together. Kyoko lifted her companion's chin, looked into her blue eyes, and then kissed her. The kiss grew deeper and hotter as they kept it up, lips parting and meeting again, tongues exploring each other thoroughly. Kyoko's hands went gently down over the curves of Sayaka's hips and then behind, giving her tight buttocks a loving squeeze. Sayaka stroked her roommate's long, thick, and dark-red hair. All the while, the hot water poured down on them. Everything felt like a heavenly dream.

That day, they both missed their first morning classes.


	4. The Fourth Trial: Dinner

**4: The Fourth Trial: Dinner**

In a dream, Miki Sayaka saw a version of herself at about age thirteen, dressed in a strange blue-and-white outfit trimmed with lace and complimented by white gloves and a white cloak. In her hands was a beautiful, slightly curved saber with a gold-colored cross-section and hand-guard. Weirdly, the sword wasn't heavy at all, even though it was sturdy-looking and made of real steel. For reasons she did not understand, Sayaka found herself filled with loathing, along with a sense of fear and excitement that told her she was in the middle of a battle.

Soon her opponent appeared, charging into the alley from around the corner of a building. It was Sakura Kyoko, except she was also only about thirteen or fourteen, and dressed strangely. Her outfit was complex, consisting of a sleeveless, deep-red dress that parted at the hips to reveal a short pink skirt, and below that, black stockings with the same blood-red-colored boots. There was a diamond-shaped jewel of what looked like ruby embedded in the fabric of the area just above her small, budding breasts. As she approached, Kyoko brandished a long and deadly spear with an immense and cruelly pointed head.

The alarming spear should have been much too heavy for a girl her size to handle, but Kyoko wielded it with skill. Sayaka realized that the red-head was the source of her feelings of intense hatred. One with her spear, and the other with her saber, the two girls fought savagely. Steel rang against steel. Every blow was meant to be lethal. This was a battle where they seriously wanted to kill each other. Sayaka was losing. For some reason, she just couldn't match the strength and speed of her opponent. Any moment now, she might be skewered or have her body slashed open.

It was a terrible feeling. Sayaka was frightened and confused. Why did she want to kill Kyoko? Why was Kyoko trying to kill her? Why did she feel so much hatred and despair? And why did this scene seem more like a memory than a dream? It was more vivid than any dream she had experienced before. Sayaka recognized the feeling of the sword in her hands, and she knew the cool weight of the sapphire-colored gem she wore at her naval. Surely this had happened before. The blue-haired miss grew increasingly terrified at the dream version of Kyoko fought harder and harder, beating her opponent back farther and farther.

Sayaka woke herself up yelling, "Kyoko, stop it!" There were tears in her eyes and she felt dizzy. But now she had returned to reality. She saw the beams of the rising sun paint colors on comforting ceiling of the apartment. She heard the soft sound of the fan, and she felt the real and grown-up version of Kyoko snuggled against her. The red-head hadn't moved despite Sayaka's shout. She was snoring softly.

For a moment, Sayaka was so relieved she thought about kissing her roommate. Yet something held her back. She still felt acutely uncomfortable. The dream had been so realistic and so familiar. Had Kyoko really tried to kill her, six years ago? Doubt and fear gnawed at Sayaka's stomach. On top of that, she felt angry at herself for letting a mere dream bother her.

Kyoko started to wake up. After stretching, she rolled over on top of her roommate. She enjoyed the feeling of their bodies touching. "Good morning, Sayachi!"

"Don't call me that!" Sayaka ordered. She was blushing again. "Also, you're crushing me."

"Heh," said Kyoko with a giggle, "but you like that, right?"

Well, that was true. Sayaka kissed her roommate in answer. She also ran her slender hands under Kyoko's shirt, sighing when she felt the red-head's large, soft breasts. She withdrew quickly, though.

"I'm sorry to be the spoilsport again," Sayaka said ruefully, "but we had both better get ready for work."

Kyoko made a noise similar to that of an annoyed cat. "I guess it can't be helped," she grumbled, sitting up and beginning to dress herself.

Sayaka worked at a small shop that sold vitamins, minerals, protein, and herbal supplements. For her career, the blue-haired girl wished to study psychology and become a counselor that could help people with behavior problems or addiction. In the meantime, health and nutrition were her favorite hobbies. Sayaka did an excellent job learning about all the store's products, researching what they were good for, and recommending certain supplements to customers. Sayaka was uncommonly fortunate in that she loved her part-time job.

However, that day it was difficult to enjoy work. Images from her dreams kept coming up in Miss Miki's mind. By the time she got done with work at three o'clock, she was exhausted from fighting back the feelings of fear and discomfort that arose whenever she thought of her adopted sister. She also felt furious at herself for doubting Kyoko over some stupid dream.

After work, Sayaka took a bus out into the country and got off at the stop closest to the park where she was supposed to be meet Kyoko. They had decided to use the rest of the day for a date, planning to hike in the woods among the beautiful trees that whose leaves were changing color with the season.

At a bench near a vending machine, Sayaka reunited with her companion and they shared a tight embrace. Even though it had only been a few hours since they last saw one another, Sayaka felt like she could never get too many hugs from her red-haired roommate. Stopping by the vending machine, Kyoko bought a can of apple juice for herself and a raspberry juice for her companion. Then they set off walking, holding hands.

For the most part, the two girls enjoyed their time at the park. However, at one point near the end, as they were hiking back toward the bus stop, something happened that made Sayaka angry and uncomfortable again. She was the one who started it by picking up a straight, sturdy oak stick about the length of a saber.

Reminiscing about the days of playing pretend with sticks for swords, Sayaka used the stick and started a mock-battle with her companion. Kyoko wasn't good at play-fighting with a saber-length stick, but when she picked up a straight branch the length of a spear, it was a whole other story. She wielded it excellently, just as she had with the real spear in Sayaka's dream.

The mock-battle ended with Kyoko striking the stick out of her opponent's hands, and carefully poking her in the ribs with her pretend spear. She won so easily, and while she had fought, she had moved with the skill of someone who knew how to handle real weapons. Sayaka became grumpy and discomfited not only because she had lost so terribly, but also because it bothered her to no end that Kyoko seemed to know exactly what she was doing.

The dream this morning... could it have been a real memory? Why had Kyoko tried to kill her? Could she really trust her companion when both of them were missing memories about their pasts? What if they were actually enemies? These thoughts plagued Sayaka's mind as she rode back to Mitikihari City.

"So," began Kyoko, talking over the growling of her stomach, "where do you want to go eat, my little Saya-chan?"

"Ahem." Sayaka cleared her voice and frowned to remind Kyoko not to call her by cutesy pet names in public. Then she considered, "Hmm...How about stopping by that place for udon?"

"I went there yesterday." Kyoko dismissed the idea with a flippant wave of her hand. "Let's go someplace that serves drinks. I bet they'll believe I'm twenty and let me have a little bowl of sake. How about Sugita's Nipon Shokudo?"

"That diner near campus?" Sayaka asked. "If I remember right, they have great Sukiyaki. But... that place is a little pricey. Let's go somewhere cheap."

"McRonald's!" exclaimed Kyoko. "I love me some delicious, greasy American junk food!"

"You eat there too much, Kyoko. If you don't stop, you're going to gain more weight." Sayaka knew she had no business telling her companion what or where to eat, but she was so concerned with nutrition she couldn't help it. "How about we split a small pizza from the Pizza Hat takeout?" she suggested. "They also have side salads these days so it wouldn't be as unhealthy."

"I don't really like Pizza Hat," Kyoko complained. "It's not even good pizza."

The pair kept shooting down each other's ideas, and in the end, they couldn't agree on where to go to eat. Thus, they decided to return to the apartment and cook something for their dinner date instead of eating out.

Once they arrived home, though, the adopted sisters could not agree on what to cook. Sayaka said they should go with something simple like rice, pork katsu, and a makeshift miso soup. Kyoko wanted to make Sukiyaki. That would take too long and they didn't have nearly enough ingredients, Sayaka objected. As a compromise, she proposed making ramen with vegetables and a beef bouillon cube, but Miss Sakura insisted that much wouldn't fill her up and she needed real meat.

The girls argued until they were both aggravated, and then Kyoko gave in and agreed to the original suggestion of fried pork katsudon. However, the two soon started fighting again, this time over who would make the food. Sayaka said she should do it because she was the better cook and the more feminine one. This wasn't quite fair. Kyoko had extension knowledge of numerous types of food, and she was as good a cook as the next girl. As the resident authority on all things tasty, Kyoko insisted on doing the job herself. Finally, Sayaka gave in and let her roommate start on the katsudon. While preparing the miso soup, Miss Miki watched Miss Sakura skeptically.

"Hey, you don't need the use the whole thing," said the blue-haired girl, when her companion cracked open an egg and poured into a small dish. "That's overdoing it. Just use a half or quarter and add a little water to it when you whisk it."

"Bullshit," replied Kyoko, whisking the egg into a yellow mixture. "I've done this way more times than you, so get lost. More egg means more flower and bread crumbs will stick to the meat."

"Wait, don't put it there yet!" cried Sayaka when Kyoko was just about to put the two portions of pork into the sticky egg mixture. "God, don't you know anything? You have to prepare the meat too. Look, you do this." She took a knife and demonstrated. "Make cuts along all the stringy parts to make it softer. And then you use a dough roller like this—" she slapped the meat as hard as she could—"and beat the cutlets a few times. It makes them tender."

The red-haired girl couldn't suppress a smirk and a rude laugh. "You sound like a freaking sadist, Saya-chan. I guess for your sake I'll pass on all the dirty jokes about beating one's meat. But seriously, you're in the way. You want me to take that roller to your head? I swear I will."

"Watch it," Sayaka warned; "I'm the one with the knife."

Dropping the argument for the time being, Sayaka kept watching Kyoko's progress. After adding seasoning, soaking the pork in the egg mixture, and then using flour and bread crumbs to cover it on both sides, it was time to cook the meat. Kyoko set up a pan and put it on high. She poured in at least one full measuring cup of oil.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sayaka demanded. "That's way too much oil! We're not deep-frying it! You don't need to submerge the whole freaking cutlet!"

"This is how I do it," Kyoko snapped, "so piss off already! I'll fry these babies and you can make the soup."

"I already made the soup! See, I'm much faster at both prep and cooking than you!"

"You're really trying to pick a fight, aren't you? Try being useful instead." Kyoko put the cutlets into the pan of hot oil and then licked the flour off her fingertips. "I know. You can go turn on the rice cooker."

Sayaka was exasperated. "You were supposed to turn that at the start of the prep!"

"I forgot," Kyoko shrugged. "Can't be helped. We'll eat the rice a little later than the rest."

A few minutes later, the red-haired girl became distracted sampling the rice and miso soup. She forgot to watch the meat, but luckily, Sayaka was still hovering around and examining everything critically. The top sides of the kastudon were already brownish.

"Kyoko, it's burning!" Sayaka snapped, starting to lose her temper for real. "You have to flip them over once they turn a gold color! It might be too late. Move! I'll do it myself."

When she said this, Sayaka was standing to the right of Kyoko, who was standing in front of the stove-top where the meat was frying. Impatiently, Sayaka tried to shove Kyoko out of the way and move to her left. Kyoko, however, was still holding the handle on the pain of hot oil. When she was pushed aside, the red-head took the pan with her by accident, and burning hot oil sloshed out everywhere. Some of it landed right on Kyoko's bare arm just above the wrist. She screamed and actually sounded like a girl for once. The oil had seared her skin and it was already burned dark red. Leaving the pan on the counter, Sayaka immediately guided her screaming roommate across the way to the kitchen sink and turned on the cold water, letting it run over the agonizing burns. Kyoko stopped shouting but was still obviously in pain.

"Kyoko, Kyoko, I'm sorry!" exclaimed Sayaka, tears welling up in her blue eyes and spilling down her soft face. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! Oh my god…"

Kyoko ruffled Sayaka's hair with her uninjured hand and forced herself to smile. "Don't cry, you big baby. If anyone gets to cry, it's me. But damn," she swore, wincing, "this freaking hurts… dammit! We're gonna need to get some pain relief cream ASAP…"

"Drugstore creams will hardly make a difference." Sayaka shook her head sadly. "This is at least a second degree burn. It looks bad enough to scar. Come on, I'll take you to the medical center on campus and we can get you some painkillers."

"Screw that." Miss Sakura kept her arm under the running cold water, and the discomfort she felt made it difficult to speak. Still, she persevered and didn't shed a tear. "I mean, yeah," she admitted, "some Perc or Oxy would make me so happy right now that I'd seriously propose to you. But think of what we'd have to go through to get that stuff! The med center is a giant hassle, a headache for everyone. Even the emergency room can have a long wait. And I don't even know if I have the money for my insurance copayment."

"Well… I've got to do something!" Miss Miki felt desperate. "Please, let me do something!"

At that moment, in her head, Sayaka was praying and wishing with all her might that she could do something, anything to right this wrong and relieve her companion. Much to the surprise of both girls, a glowing circle made out of blue runes and musical notes appeared out of thin air and hovered for an instant over Kyoko's burn. When the circle vanished, Kyoko found herself feeling better right away. But she was disturbed by the strange sight she had seen.

"Whoa, Sayaka…" she whispered. "What… what the fuck just happened?"

"I—I don't know," stammered Sayaka. In reality, she thought she already knew the answer. She had wished to heal Kyoko, and a magic circle had appeared and done the job. "Y-your arm. Does it still hurt?"

"Holy horseshit." The red-haired girl turned off the cold water and moved her hand and arm around. There was no sign of a burn anymore. "It doesn't hurt a bit. What the hell?"

"There's not even any inflammation." The roommate took a deep breath and said, "I… Kyoko… I think I just healed you."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to believe this is magic or something?" Kyoko sounded alarmed.

"…I…don't know what else to call it," Sayaka told her companion. "It feels familiar. I feel like I must have healed myself like this hundreds of times." She had dreamed about this too, and agonized over whether it was real. "But when I try to remember clearly, my mind goes blank."

"Hmm." It wasn't like Kyoko didn't understand. She sometimes felt like she knew how to use magic, too. And just earlier today, at the park, she noticed that her body knew exactly how to handle a spear. She had dreams of using magic to give her destructive power in fights, as well as dreams about using a huge spear. "I think I kind of know what you mean," Kyoko confessed. Still… you really used magic. I mean, wow. What does that mean for us? What are we supposed to do?"

"I hate to say this," replied Sayaka, going on nothing but a gut feeling, "but I think I know who we should talk to."

"Eh? And who's that?"

"Your friend, Akemi Homura."


End file.
